WO2005086988A1

WO2005086988A1 - Suspension mechanism for greenhouse plants

Info

Publication number: WO2005086988A1
Application number: PCT/BG2004/000005
Authority: WO
Inventors: George Gurov
Original assignee: George Gurov
Priority date: 2004-03-11
Filing date: 2004-03-11
Publication date: 2005-09-22

Abstract

A suspension mechanism consisting of a pulley (2) with thread (3) for suspending the plant and a catching part (2) wherein a hole (4) is shaped in the catching part (1) for the thread (3) to pass through, the axis of rotation of the pulley (2) is replaced with respect to the straight line P defined by the point of suspension of the catching part (1) the bearing wire (7) and the hole (4) for the tread to pass trough, the axis of rotation of the pulley (2) is also replaced with respect to the turn axis and disposed outside the maximum wound thread area. Also there is at least one flexible part (15) shaped on the catching part (1), said flexible part (15) being disposed on the path of rotation the pulley with thread (3) wound thereon, so that the pulley (2) passes through that flexible part (15) after overcoming a predetermined force.

Description

SUSPENSION MECHANISM FOR GREENHOUSE PLANTS

Field of invention The present invention relates to a suspension mechanism for greenhouse plants finding application in all known kinds of greenhouse constructions.

Prior art A known construction of a suspension mechanism for greenhouse plants is described in PCT/BG02/00009. The mechanism includes a pulley with thread for suspending the plant and a catching part. A hole is shaped in the catching part for the thread to pass through. The axis of rotation of the pulley is replaced with respect to the straight line defined by the point of suspension of the catching part to the bearing wire and the hole for the tread to pass trough. The axis of rotation of the pulley is also replaced with respect to the turn axis and disposed outside the maximum wound thread area. The pulley could represent a H-shaped part with bulges at the bottom end of its two side walls, said bulges being connected to the catching part with a possibility to rotate, while the transverse part of the pulley is asymmetrically disposed so that the bulges are situated outside the area of the maximum wound thread. The pulley could represent also a roller with bulges shaped on the side flanges thereof. The catching part could comprise a profile body consisting of an essentially flat top wall the uppermost end of which is shaped as a hook to catch the bearing wire. A trough hole is shaped in the center of the top wall. Two side walls are shaped on both side ends of the top wall which are essentially perpendicular to the flat top wall and running downwards with respect to it. Coaxial through holes are made at the bottom end of the two side walls. These holes are replaced in relation to the top wall in a direction opposite to the direction of unwinding of the pulley in relation to the top wall. The bulges of the pulley are situated in the through holes.

The problem in the use of this suspension mechanism consists basically in the insufficiently reliable fixing of the bearing thread at a desired height of the plant. Besides, the mechanism is relatively easy to detach from the bearing wires when manipulated with a view to changing the height of the plant suspended thereon. The mechanical manufacture of the mechanism is a problem too, the automated winding of the bearing thread on the pulley in particular.

Technical Essence of Invention

Respectively, the task of the invention applied for is to create a suspension mechanism for greenhouse plants, which ensures reliable fixing of the bearing thread at a desired height of the plant, and which gets safely connected to the bearing wires. An additional task of the invention is the creation of a construction of the suspension mechanism such as to ensure easy and fast automatic winding of the bearing thread on the pulley. The task is solved by the creation of a suspension mechanism for greenhouse plants, consisting of a pulley with thread for suspending the plant and a catching part. A hole is shaped in the catching part for the thread to pass through. The axis of rotation of the pulley is replaced with respect to the straight line defined by the point of suspension of the catching part to the bearing wire and the hole for the tread to pass trough. The axis of rotation of the pulley is also replaced with respect to the turn axis and disposed outside the maximum wound thread area. It is characteristic of the mechanism that on the catching part there is shaped at least one flexible part situated on the path of rotation of the pulley with^" the thread wound^" thereon, so that the pulley passes through that flexible part after overcoming certain force. In an embodiment of the mechanism, the flexible part is shaped as a flat spring connected to the top wall of the catching part. In another embodiment of the mechanism, the flexible part is shaped as a spring connected to at least one of the side walls of the catching part, or as a bulge on at least one of the side walls. It is expedient to shape the bulge on the two side walls of the catching part. In this embodiment, it is suitable to shape the bulge by punching of the walls. In still another embodiment of the mechanism, the hole for the bearing thread to pass through is shaped as a slot in the uppermost end of the top wall of the catching part. In a further embodiment of the mechanism, the hook formed on the top wall of the catching part has a Z-shaped profile. It is expedient to make one of the pulley bulges longer than the other. The advantages of the suspension mechanism for greenhouse plants according to the invention consist in the provision of reliable fixing of the thread in a desired position in accordance with the size of the plant it bears, and safe fixing of the mechanism to the bearing wires. Besides, the asymmetric disposition of the bulges facilitates the fast and precise winding of the bearing on the pulley. Explanation of the Figures Enclosed

Figure 1 is an axonometric view of the suspension mechanism according to the invention; Figure 2 illustrates the mechanism in its three possible states; Figure 3 is an axonometric view again of another embodiment of the mechanism.

Embodiment of the invention The suspension mechanism for greenhouse plants (Fig.1 and 2) comprises a catching part 1 and pulley 2 with a thread 3 wound thereon. There is a hole 4 shaped as a slot in the catching part 1 at the uppermost end of the flat top wall 8 of the part 1. The axis of rotation 5 of the pulley 2 is replaced (best seen in fig. 2c) with respect to the straight line P as defined by the point of hooking of the catching part 1 to the to the bearing wire 7 and the hole 4 for the tread 3 to pass trough. The catching part 1 may by shaped as a profile body consisting of essentially flat top wall 8 the upper end of which is shaped as a hook 9 to catch the bearing wire 7. Preferably the profile of the hook 9 is Z-shaped. The hole 4 is shaped at the utmost end of the top wall 8 as a slot. The bottom part of the hole 4 may be rounded in order to prevent the thread 3 from fast wearing and to avoid any undesirable arresting of the thread caused by the harder friction between the thread 3 and the wall of the hole 4, There are two side walls 10 shaped on both side ends of the top wall 8, said two walls 10 being essentially perpendicular to the flat top wall 8 and running downwards from it. There are coaxial trough holes 11 at the bottom end of the two side walls 10 so that their axis is replaced with respect to the straight line P at a distance d. In order to raise the strength of the construction, it is advisable that hollows 12 be shaped between the top wall 8 and the side walls 10, and ribs 13 be shaped along the side walls 10, the bottom of the ribs consisting of the outer surface of the walls 10. As can be best seen on fig, 3, the bulges 14 of the pulley 2 are with different length, which provides for speeding the process of winding of the thread 3 on the pulley 2. An elastic part 15 is attached to the catching part 1. This elastic part 15 may be formed as a flat spring 16 (fig.3), or as a punch part 15 (fig.1 , 2). Use of the invention After the plant reaches a certain height, it is necessary to stabilize it vertically so as to prevent it from leaning to one side and possibly breaking. To this end, bearing wires 7 are disposed behind the lines of plants usually at a height of 2 to 4 meters. The mechanism is suspended on the wire7 by means of the hook 9. The free end of the thread 3 is dropped down to the ground and is attached to the plant stem. The plant is spirally wound around the thread 3. The essence of the mechanism's action is determined by its three optional positions: FIRST POSITION: In case no force (weight) is applied on the thread 3 downwards, the pulley 2 of the winded thread will hold lower position as result of its own weight. SECOND POSITION: In case we start to pull the thread 3 in mechanism downwards using less force (the weight of growing plant), the pulley 2 will turn upwards and due to the elastic part 15 will hold second position until the force (the weight of growing plant), which pulls the thread downwards, will exceed by one level the one, installed for the mechanism. THIRD POSITION: If the force (the weight of the plant, reached the desired height) used for the pulling of the thread 3 will exceed the level, installed for the mechanism, the pulley 2 will overcome the resistance of the spring 15 and will be released from Second position and turns to Third position. By holding this position the mechanism will lock and no matter the force we use for pulling of the thread 3 (even to its break at applying of 20 kg-25 kg), the pulley 3 will neither change its position nor loose. In order to unlock the mechanism, being in Third position, we have just to pull the thread a little bit upwards. So the pulley 2 will be released and by means of its own weight it will turn and hold the First position. So, the pulley 2 will loose at one revolution and will release the respective thread's length (the length of the plant is decreased). When we leave the plant loose, it pulls the thread 3 downwards by means of its own weight and the pulley 2 will turn from First to Second position. It will stay there if the weight of the plant is insufficient for turning to Third position and to self-lock. In this case we need just to pull the thread 3 lightly downwards in order to turn from Second to Third position and to stabilize its position there. The role of the Second position of the mechanism is very important because of the following reasons: It prevents the accidental and undesirable loosing of thread 3 from the pulley 2 during the supporting of the plant's stem from the moment of planting until reach of the desired height (lack of weight necessary for self-locking of the mechanism) or when we wind the thread around the stem of already developed plant. The manipulations applied when supporting the stem of the plant to the thread 3 (by clamp, band or winding of the thread around the stem) are similar or equal with those, performed by the mechanism as specified above. At any support manipulation we loose one or more, as the case may be, revolutions of thread 3, without any need to touch the mechanism, for the purposes of loosing the thread. The thread is fastened to the lower part of the newly planted stem by means of suitable knot or plastic clamp, by stretching the thread 3 as appropriate. The thread is cut when the season is over. The mechanism remains stuck to the wire 7 and it is not necessary to remove it. The plant can grow to a height which we wish, but it must not get interlaced in the mechanism. When the thread 3 is about to finish (3-4 coils have left), then we must immediately replace it by a new one, because the thread may get unwound and the plant may fall down.

Claims

1. A suspension mechanism consisting of a pulley with thread for suspending the plant and a catching part, a hole is shaped in the catching part for the thread to pass through, the axis of rotation of the pulley is replaced with respect to the straight line defined by the point of suspension of the catching part to the bearing wire and the hole for the tread to pass trough, the axis of rotation of the pulley is also replaced with respect to the turn axis and disposed outside the maximum wound thread area, characterized by that there is at least one flexible part (15) shaped on the catching part (1), said flexible part (15) being disposed on the path of rotation of the pulley with thread (3) wound thereon, so that the pulley (2) passes through that flexible part (15) after overcoming a predetermined force.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by that the flexible part (15) is shaped as a flat spring (16) connected to the top wall (8) of the catching part (1).

3. A mechanism according to claim 1 , characterized by that the, flexible part (15) is shaped as a spring connected to at least one of the side walls (10) of the catching part (1).

4. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by that the bulge (15) is shaped on the two side walls (10) of the catching part (1) and provides an elastic effect together with the side walls (10).

5. A mechanism according to claim 4, characterized by that the bulge (15) is shaped by means of punching of the walls (10).

6. A mechanism according to claim 1 , characterized by that the hole (4) for the bearing thread (3) to pass through is shaped as a slot in the uppermost end of the top wall (8) of the catching part (1).

7. A mechanism according to claim 1 , characterized by that the hook (9) formed on the top wall (8) of the catching part (1) has a Z- shaped profile.

8. A mechanism according to claim 1 , characterized by that one of the bulges of the pulley (2) is longer than the other.